Pretty neat that they find info confirming that baseball was alive and well pre-Doubleday. Several baseball histories I have read have speculated on this due to the game's evolution from other games such as Rounders. Although I disagree with some of the articles that suggest this somehow lessens the importance of Doubleday penning and solidifying the rules still used today for the most part.

Maine has a good swing for a pitcher but on anything that moves, he has no chance. And if it's a fastball, it has to be up in the zone. Basically, the pitcher has to hit his bat. - Mike Pelfrey

Although I disagree with some of the articles that suggest this somehow lessens the importance of Doubleday penning and solidifying the rules still used today for the most part.

I thought the Doubleday "Story" was a complete myth. It was concocted by a baseball committee in 1905:

In 1905, a commission headed by Al Spalding wrongly credited Doubleday with inventing the game of baseball in in Cooperstown, New York in 1839. Doubleday was actually a cadet at West Point when he was alleged to have mapped out the first baseball diamond, and after graduating in 1842 he enjoyed a distinguished military career. He fought in Mexico as well as the Civil War, eventually becoming a major general.

The commission was convinced of Doubleday's role by the testimony of an elderly gentleman named Abner Graves, who claimed to be a childhood playmate of Doubleday's and present when the game was invented. Graves's story was later "verified" by the discovery of a rotting baseball among his personal effects. That ball became known as "The Doubleday Baseball" and remains on display at the Hall of Fame. Doubleday left behind numerous diaries and never claimed to have invented baseball, yet he remains one of the game's great mythological figures. The annual Hall of Fame Game is played each summer at Doubleday Field in Cooperstown.

It is a myth that he invented the game. I guess that myth arose because he penned the rules. From what I understand Doubleday compiled and inadvertently standardized the rules. But I'm no expert and that could be wrong, lol.

Maine has a good swing for a pitcher but on anything that moves, he has no chance. And if it's a fastball, it has to be up in the zone. Basically, the pitcher has to hit his bat. - Mike Pelfrey

Amazinz wrote:It is a myth that he invented the game. I guess that myth arose because he penned the rules. From what I understand Doubleday compiled and inadvertently standardized the rules. But I'm no expert and that could be wrong, lol.

Doubleday did NOTHING for baseball, he didn't even pen the rules, the NY Kinkerbockers did that. in the 1830's when doubleday supposedly "penned the rules" Doubleday was at West Point. Al Spalding simply need at definite date to place the invention of baseball at, to porve it wasn;t connected to the english games of Cricket and rounders. (which it was) and some crazy old guy in Cooperstown claimed to have been with Doubleday in the 1830's when hen invented Baseball.